Lebara lowers its roaming rates following ACM request
Dutch telecom operator Lebara has lowered its rates for mobile calling and texting from one EU country to another. The company immediately adjusted these roaming rates, following a request from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), which had investigated the rates for Lebara's customers during stays in EU countries. Having lowered its rates, Lebara now complies with the rules.
Customers of Dutch mobile phone operators, such as Lebara, use foreign networks when calling from abroad. This is called roaming. When staying in another EU country, Lebara customers paid a higher rate for calling or texting to other EU countries than the normal rate for calls within the Netherlands. This is not allowed, even though only a small group of customers was affected in this particular case. Under the 'roam like at home'-principle, people should be able to call or text at the same rate as they do at home when roaming within the EU. The 'roam like at home'-principle does not apply to calls from the Netherlands to other EU countries, and also not to calls to or from countries outside the EU.
ACM wants telecom operators to comply with the 'roam like at home'-principle, which has been laid down at the EU level. In order to check if they do, ACM regularly conducts a check-up. If ACM establishes that an operator does not comply with the rules, ACM will take action.